Conventional wireless networks typically include multiple communication resources (such as one or more WiFi™ base stations or wireless access points) providing wireless communications to one or more mobile communication devices. For example, a conventional wireless network may include: a first wireless access point providing wireless coverage to a first region in a network environment; a second wireless access point providing wireless coverage to a second region in the network environment; and so on.
Each of one or more wireless base stations may be part of a same wireless network providing access to a corresponding remote network such as the Internet. Via communications through a selected one of the multiple wireless access points, a respective user of the mobile communication device is able to wirelessly communicate through a wireless access point over the Internet.
In accordance with the WiFi™ protocol, the end-users (i.e., client mobile devices) in a wireless network environment compete amongst each other to use available wireless channels using CSMA/CA (Carrier Sends Multiple Access/Collision Avoidance) techniques.
As a specific example, prior to transmitting data on a respective wireless channel in a network environment, in accordance with CSMA, the device attempting to transmit data monitors a respective wireless channel for transmissions by other communication devices. If the monitored channel is reasonably clear (such as during which little or no communications are transmitted on the channel), the device transmits its data over the available channel to a target recipient such as a wireless access point. On the other hand, if the channel is not clear because one or more other communication resources are communicating over the channel, the device schedules attempted communications at a later time in accordance with a random back off timer value. At expiration of the random back off timer value, the device attempting to communicate on the monitored channel checks again to see if the monitored wireless channel is clear. If so, the device transmits over the channel. Thus, eventually, in theory, the device will be able to transmit its data in a CSMA acquired channel after detecting that the channel is clear.